Testimonies

Andrew McConnell

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Testimonios

Mohammen Sheikh Salek


Age: 30
Gas station attendant, pictured in Rabouni camp, Algeria.

 

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I was born in Auserd [refugee camp] in 1989. I liked Auserd but always felt a little homeless because it was a refugee camp. It was hard to live there with sandstorms and the sun. I always felt like I had lost something. Later we moved to El Aaiun camp but I wished I was in El Aaiun city. After I left school I spent a lot of time looking for a job but this is the only job I could find. Time forces me to do this. We get gasoline from Algeria, I make about two Dinar [€0.02] on every litre. Since the ceasefire many people have cars, they go to Spain and other countries and come back with cars. Maybe half the people have cars, the best are the Land Rovers. They are great for the desert and the Saharawi mechanics know them very well.

This is only a job to pass the time. I am a soldier waiting for war. I trained with the Polisario for one year and now I am a trainer for young Saharawi in the use of weapons. All young Saharawi know how to use a weapon. I refuse the ceasefire, it is blocking our chance to be free. The Polisario except it but I don't know why. I believe they will find a solution. In the next meetings with Morocco if they do not come back with a solution we must go back to war.